Where Have the Children Gone?
by Kusabi Makabe
Summary: Ryozo Munakata brought his family to an old mansion to study it's secrets...but the horrors of it's past may be too much for them. COMPLETE!
1. Prologue: Moving In

Disclaimer:

I, Kusabi Makabe, do not own Fatal Frame…though I do hope to one day. XD

* * *

**Prologue – Excerpts from Mikoto Munakata's Diary**

Daddy's making us move. He said that he wants us to live in this famous old house for a while so he can research the stuff that happened there. I'm a little nervous about leaving my home, but it might be fun to have a whole mansion to explore!

I think Mommy's getting sick again. It doesn't seem too bad, but I hope she gets over it soon. I hate it when she's tired all the time – it makes me feel sad.

Daddy took us to the village near our house today. It was too dark to get there, so we stayed with a really nice family. There was a little boy there that was really nice. I think he's a little uncomfortable around girls, though – he kept giving me this weird look. Maybe he likes me!

We got to the mansion today. Daddy said it's called Hee-moo-row. I can't spell it, though…Himuro? I think that's right. It's a little messy, and there's a bunch of places where the floor or the ceiling are broken…it's creepy. And yet, at the same time, it's kind of cool. My very own haunted house!

Mommy seems to be feeling better today. When I was helping her unpack, I found this really cool old camera. She said that it was the only thing she had after she left her home village. When I asked her where it was, she got really quiet. I wonder what's going on there...

I asked Daddy about Mommy's hometown. He said that something really bad happened there, and that her memory was kind of fuzzy about it. He said that it was best not to bring it up, because then she would try and remember. When I asked him why she shouldn't remember, he got really sad. I'm so curious…but I guess I shouldn't talk about it. Maybe they'll tell me when I'm older.

Mommy showed me how to use the camera today! It's really cool. There are all these weird symbols on it that I don't really understand. Mommy says that they're "occult" markings – like magic, or something! We have a magic camera!

She let me take pictures with it, too. She took me out to the Cherry Atrium and let me take pictures of whatever I wanted! She even put some of them in her photo album.

I made friends with some of the kids in the village nearby. One of them is the boy that I met before – his name is Katsu. My other two friends are named Mitsuko and Yoshiko – they're both girls. They remind me a lot of my old friends from back home.

Daddy's been really happy lately. He said that he's finally getting somewhere with his studies. That makes me happy, too! I've gotten used to this house – it's not so scary anymore. Mommy still seems a little frightened, but I think she's growing comfortable here, too. Daddy…well, he was always happy here. Hee hee!

I found this really gross room in the house. Daddy calls it the Fish Tank Room. It's basically water with little wooden bridges over it. I'm not going over those! Not yet, anyway.

There are so many locked doors in this house! I want to know where the door at the top of the stairway goes…

* * *

Okay! This is a prologue, so it's kinda short. And if I kept going, I'd be eating into the story proper…so that's bad. 8P the story will expand to Yae and Ryozo – I'm just starting with Mikoto, because I really want to get the "eyes of a child" perspective going.

Valete!


	2. It Smelled Like Malice

_This isn't right_.

Ryozo Munakata, father of Mikoto, stood on the deck outside his study. He wasn't quite sure what was wrong; he just had one of his feelings. Like the one he had felt when he had first ventured into All God's Village…

But, then again, this place was reputedly cursed. Why shouldn't he have an odd feeling? He shook his head. Nothing had happened, anyway. Nothing to make him feel this way.

_Nothing happened then, either. Not until Makabe-sensei died…_

He pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Perhaps I just need to sleep for a while," he muttered to himself. "It's getting late, anyway…"

He turned around and walked through the doors that led back into the mansion.

* * *

Yae Munakata sat in what had more or less been designated as her private room. She had fallen in love with it as soon as she had entered – it was small, cozy, warm…currently she had only moved her old koto into it, but she planned on eventually converting it to a guest bedroom. 

This place…it was so familiar to her. The entire mansion smelled familiar, like a long-lost memory. It smelled

_(Like Malice)_

sort of musty, sort of warm. She felt a heaviness in the air as well that seemed a little out of place. But, then again, she hadn't ever lived in the mountains before. Maybe it was just different.

She began plucking at her koto. Mikoto had made friends already, something that immensely relieved both Yae and her husband. They seemed like nice enough children – they were very polite but not in a terribly stuffy or laughably nervous way. She smiled to herself. Mikoto was such an adaptable little girl!

The door slid open behind her. She turned around and saw Ryozo enter the room. He gave her a tired smile. "Goodnight, Yae," he said.

She grinned. "The first week we're here and you're already out of things to study?"

Ryozo laughed. "Actually, I'm going to start quite an expedition tomorrow. I'm going to try to open the door that goes to the backyard."

"Which one is that? The one by the stairwell?"

Ryozo shook his head. "Fish Tank Room."

Yae nodded. "You should try to get the door at the top of the stairs opened. Mikoto's extremely curious about what's on the other side."

"I'll do that," her husband responded.

The two continued talking for a few seconds, and then walked together to their makeshift bedroom outside of the study.

* * *

Mikoto got very little sleep that night. Her natural energy had taken an amazing leap, and she found herself unable to stay still long enough to get anywhere close to sleep. 

So far, she had been enjoying their stay. It wasn't quite "home" yet, but she figured that would take a while – it always did. She had invited her friends to come over and explore tomorrow. Yoshiko and Katsu had accepted, but Mitsuko had politely declined – she said that her aunt was getting married and she wanted to be there. Mikoto secretly thought that maybe Mitsuko was afraid of the mansion, but didn't say anything. She'd come when she was ready.

_I'll have to ask Daddy about that_, Mikoto thought to herself. _He might know why she would be scared. Or maybe I'm just being weird about this…_

She rolled onto her back and once again tried to fall asleep. As she looked to the door, she saw...

She didn't know _what_ she saw; it was like a giant staticy area near the little door that led to the stairs. Like a sort of…Not Real. That was all she could think of to describe it. Not Real.

She shook her head rapidly, hoping to clear her vision. The static still clocked the doorway. She considered going over to it, but decided not to. What if it made her Not Real? That would be…

_Well, that would be pretty cool. But I'd like to stay me for a while…_

She closed her eyes again. This time she managed to slip away into unconsciousness.

* * *

Heh…sorry I haven't updated in a while. I got _really_ sick. Actually, I'm still sick, but I couldn't stay away for this long. : ) 

Hope you liked the chapter! Thanks to pikarikku and Trout for their patronage. : ) Please R&R!


	3. Come Along With Me

"Wow…"

Mikoto, Katsu, and Yoshiko stood in the open doorway of the storeroom. It was so _big_ – much larger than any of them had expected. It even had a second story – how many storerooms had two floors?

Yoshiko rushed forward, Mikoto and Katsu on her heels. They crawled all around the room, looking for various points of interest. Katsu even braved himself enough to walk across the narrow beams on the second floor, although he didn't find anything of interest.

"This house is so cool!" Yoshiko said in admiration. "It's nothing like the haunted house everyone says it is!"

"Yeah," Katsu added from his perch on the board above them. "We'll have to get Mitsuko up here soon."

Mikoto slid onto the ladder and began climbing back down. "I'm gonna go see if we have any snacks," she called to her friends.

She touched down on the ground and turned to leave. Her mother was probably in her favorite room – that would be a good place to

_Come along with me_.

She came to a halt.

"…Mikoto?" Yoshiko called from the upper level. "Are you okay?"

Mikoto blinked once, and then grinned. How silly she was being! "I'm fine!" she called cheerily. "Just got lost in thought for a sec…"

She went out in search of her mother, and hopefully a treat or two.

* * *

Ryozo wandered into the area beyond the Cherry Atrium. He wasn't sure what its use was, exactly – Yae had jokingly referred to it as the Abyss, and that's pretty much what it seemed like to him. A Hellish Abyss.

_Will you stop it? _Ryozo chastised himself. _You are being an imbecile!_

He walked to the center of the…place…and examined his surroundings. He still needed a clue. Some way to unlock the backyard door. He had tried to unlock it using the same method Katsu had on the Storeroom door, but it had failed (as well as pinched both of his index fingers). There had to be a text or _something_…

He walked across the wooden bridges to the rock formation on the other side – what he suspected was a grave. Nothing of interest. Again.

Or was there?

He bent forward and examined the rubble. Yes…there it was! A small carving. Perhaps it would fit in one of those doors with the sliding puzzles on them.

"Well, progress is progress…" he whispered. He closed his hand around the stone and stood back up.

Maybe the burial room would have a clue.

* * *

Within fifteen minutes, he was standing in the backyard. As it turned out, the burial room _did_ have a clue – or, to put it more accurately, the combination for the lock. It also had some very interesting text referring to a "Blinding Ritual"…he would have to study that further…

He looked to the shrine in the distance. There should be something of interest over there. And, of course, a locked door. These people sure had been paranoid…

_Do you ever think that they had a good reason?_

Ryozo rolled his eyes. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't.

It was his job to find out.

* * *

Yae wandered through the house, looking for her daughter. Mikoto had said that they might go to the storeroom, so she checked there first.

As she walked inside, she saw feet suspended from the rafter above her. "Katsu!" she exclaimed. "Are you sure you should be doing that?"

Katsu looked down at her and laughed mirthfully. "Don't worry Munakata-san," he answered. "I've got a great sense of balance."

Yae looked at him nervously. "Okay…just be careful." She shifted her gaze so that she could see Yoshiko too. "Is Mikoto in here?"

"No," Yoshiko answered. "She left a few minutes ago looking for you."

"I see…thank you." Yae turned to leave. She turned around

_Come along with me_.

Yae slowly turned around. "Did you say something?" she asked the children.

Katsu shook his head. Yae paused for a second, and then walked out of the room.

Yoshiko shot Katsu a questioning glance. "I dunno," he said, shrugging. "Maybe they have some kind of family hearing disease."

* * *

The Munakatas stood on the balcony overlooking the Cherry Atrium, watching the sunset.

"You know," Mikoto started, "something really weird happened to me today…"

Ryozo looked at his daughter. "What?"

"Well, I was in the storeroom with my friends, and when I started to leave…"

Yae's face suddenly tensed. "You heard something," she finished.

Ryozo switched his gaze to Yae, while Mikoto cocked her head. "She called to you, too?" she asked her mother.

"Who?" Ryozo asked.

"I don't know…" Yae shook her head. "I was leaving, and I heard a woman's voice. I thought at first it was Yoshiko, but…I don't know…"

"She said she wanted me to go with her somewhere." Mikoto amended.

Ryozo turned back to the Cherry Atrium. "How strange…" he murmured.

* * *

_Yae slid the door open and walked into the room beyond. This place…it was so _familiar!_ She didn't remember being there before, but still…at the same time, she knew that she had. _

_The room was large and dark. There was a sunken fireplace in the middle of it, and several partitions all around._

_She began to walk through it. But as she passed the doorway…_

_"Yae…where?"_

_She turned to the sunken fireplace. Standing before it was a teenage girl. Yae stared at her for a second, before slowly approaching._

_"…Sae…"

* * *

_

When Yae woke up, she was covered in sweat.

"Who was that?" she whispered to herself. "Who was calling to me?..."

* * *

Yay! Chapter three, complete! I hope you liked it. : )

See you next update!


	4. Are You My Daughter?

Ryozo wandered into the Library to be met with the smell of infinite herbs. They had transformed the so-called library into a kitchen upon their arrival since no where else seemed particularly suitable. It helped that there was a closet in the room and another in the hallway nearby, so that they had a lot of storage space.

Yae was already cooking something. It certainly smelled good to the folklorist, although it seemed quite different than anything else she had made…

When he rounded the corner, he was met with an interesting sight; Yae was laying down next to their daughter, who was tossing various spices into a mixing pot.

"Good morning Daddy!" Mikoto yelled enthusiastically.

"Hello, Mikoto. What are you going?"

"I'm making an original recipe!" Mikoto grinned. "Don't worry – It's loosely based off of one of Mommy's favorite meals, so it's not like I'm throwing random stuff in here."

Ryozo let out a small laugh. "That's definitely a comfort to hear," he admitted. He then turned to his wife. "Are you alright, Yae?"

"I'm…tired." Yae shifted her head towards Ryozo. "I couldn't sleep last night…"

"Was it a nightmare? Did you dream about that woman who called to you?"

"No…well, maybe…I don't think it was the same woman, anyway. I _swear_ I knew her…she looked a lot like…me…"

Ryozo furrowed his brow. "Hmm. Let me know if you have any more trouble, okay?"

Yae nodded weakly. "I'll be okay soon. I just need to relax."

Mikoto began pounding the spices into a mixture. _It certainly does smell wonderful_, Ryozo thought to himself. _I wonder what this "favorite meal" of Yae's is._

"Katsu passed by while I was picking some of this stuff," Mikoto said. "He told me that Mitsuko might come over next time!" She stood up and wandered over to the closet/pantry. "I'm glad she is – I got the feeling that this place scared her. I guess Katsu and Yoshiko told her how great it really is!"

Yae smiled. "Katsu certainly enjoyed himself, I noticed. I was terrified the first time I saw him sitting on that beam!"

Ryozo chuckled. "He's just being a boy, Yae. Don't worry too much about it."

"Hah! When I was a child, the only boys I knew were so…calm…"

Her voice trailed off as her family turned to stare at her. She shook her head slightly, and then looked to her daughter. "What…I'm sorry, what was I saying?"

Mikoto looked at her father, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"Ah…you were talking about some boys you knew when you were little…" Mikoto's looked at the floor, suddenly uncomfortable.

Yae let out a deep breath. "I…Ryozo, that woman…was she from my past?"

Ryozo hesitated for a few seconds, and then gave his response. "I don't know what to think…this place may be somehow affecting your memory…defeating your amnesia…"

Yae looked at the ground. Her face slowly lit up in a smile. "I've waited so long to remember!" she exclaimed. "I…I've longed for this! I hope…I hope you're right."

Mikoto broke out in a grin. "That's wonderful, Mommy! At least, I think I know what you're saying…"

Ryozo smiled wanly, trying to reflect his family's enthusiasm.

_But…what if it's better not to remember?

* * *

_

Research continued as normal. Ryozo had stumbled upon several scrolls referring to a "Calamity", although he had yet to find another scroll that mentioned the Blinding Ritual. The Calamity reminded him very strongly of the Repentance from Yae's Village – Hell opened, Malice flooded, and everybody died. Several of the texts mentioned that the Malice drove those who survived to insanity.

Mikoto had been bouncing around the house all day in her usual gleeful manner. Ryozo noticed that she seemed to hang around the door at the top of the stairs quite often. Yae had mentioned something to him about getting that door open…but there were more pressing things. He'd open it when he got around to it.

Yae spent most of that day relaxing in the Cherry Atrium. At one point she had wandered to the backyard and gone over to the small shrine in the forest beyond. She found it to be a quaint little place, but something about it gave her a slight unease. She felt a strong presence coming from the cabinet, although she wasn't quite sure what it was.

She didn't like it. It felt so…

…hopeless.

* * *

Mikoto was once again having trouble convincing herself to fall asleep. Every time she came close to unconsciousness, her mind would poo up with something about her other's past. What had she been before she met Daddy, anyway?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knocking noise from the small door that led to the stairway. She narrowed her eyes and stared. That door…it was where the Not Real had appeared!

She slowly stood up, her curiosity drastically defeating her fear. She approached the door and opened it…

A man stood on the other side. He reached out an absurdly long arm to her, reaching for her.

"Are you my daughter?" he asked her.

"…No…" she answered.

His arm lowered and he looked to the ground sadly. "Do you know where she is?" he pleaded with her.

"…I'm sorry. My parents and I…we just moved here a while ago…I…were you in my room a few nights ago?"

He looked back to her. "I don't remember. Time has gotten so foggy…"

They looked at each other for several seconds…and then he disappeared.

* * *

When Mikoto Munakata woke up the next morning, she pushed the man from her mind. The only thing that was important now was Mommy's memory!

* * *

So…that's Chapter 4. I hope you enjoyed it! I don't know when I'll update again, but I'll try top make it soon.

Valete!


	5. Intermission: It's nice to remember

- Ryozo Munakata's Journal

Yae hasn't been sleeping well lately. Her memory hasn't fully returned yet – she remembers Itsuki and Mutsuki fairly well, but doesn't remember Sae or the escape. I don't know if I want her to remember or not…perhaps she only truly remembers in her nightmares. I wonder if the mansion is causing those, too? If so, I'll have to find another home nearby. I'm still so fascinated by this place…

I got to meet Mitsuko today – she seems like a very pleasant girl. She's quite chipper; it's no wonder she and Mikoto get along so well! She seemed a little unnerved after they went to the backyard. I wonder what happened? Perhaps it's just my imagination…and it's nice to see that Mikoto braved the Fish Tank Room, at any rate.

Something strange has happened to me…I was walking past the doll room, and I could swear I heard a man calling to me. Something about his head. Perhaps there really are ghosts in this place…but, if they were hostile, they would have attacked one of us by now. Right?

Mikoto seemed kind of distracted this morning. I'm not sure what was wrong…she was muttering to herself. She said that she "not his daughter". I wonder what she's talking about? I hope she isn't referring to me...she hasn't seemed uncomfortable around me, anyway.

Yae had a terrible dream last night. She said that she was in a village, and that there was a girl that looked just like her. They were running, and running, and the other girl fell and got captured. And then she came out and stood at the entrance, crying, until the village faded away.

Is that truly what happened before I found her?...

* * *

- Yae Munakata's Diary 

It's nice to remember my old friends. I've even gotten to where I can picture Itsuki's little sister, Chitose. I'm starting to remember Father, as well, although I can just vaguely glimpse his form…

These nightmares are getting worse. This woman, this woman who looks exactly like me…she wants me to come to her. She wants me to come through the Hell Gate…Ryozo has mentioned something to that effect. A portal to Hell. He started to say something about my village, too. He said that they had a similar belief.

Is she from my hometown?

Ryozo's getting frustrated with unlocking that shrine in the backyard. He said that there's some sacred artifact in there. He still hasn't gotten around to opening Mikoto's door – she's made a habit of wandering over to it every day when she wakes up. I wish he'd hurry…

Mikoto's friends have found some interesting things lying around. Katsu stumbled across a scroll talking about Sacred Ropes and Buddhas, and Mitsuko found a small plug outside. Ryozo says he thinks it goes with the double doors in the Rubble Room. I hope he's right – progress is progress. I'm starting to get rather fascinated by this place, too.

I still can't get the door in my Koto Room to open. It's strange, I know, but…I feel like something wants it shut. Like the house wants that door shut.

…but that's crazy. That's not the truth.

- Mikoto Munakata's Diary

* * *

The four of us went to the backyard…I was a little nervous about crossing the planks in the Fish Tank Room, but Katsu…it was amazing! He just flew across them like air! It really was amazing... 

Anyway, when we were back there, something…well, it was weird, to say the least. Mitsuko found this little plug on the well, and when she turned to me…she looked _rotten_. Isn't that gross? I think she felt something, because she seemed scared. I let out a little yelp, and then…it went away.

Other than that, we had fun. She said she'll come again soon. Meanwhile, we're all meeting at Yoshiko's house tomorrow night! I'm really excited.

* * *

All right! I know Mikoto's was shorter, but I didn't want to reiterate what the other two said – and besides, you'll get to see her and MWLA again soon…(that's Man With Long Arms, by the way :) 

Thanks again to SyberiaWinx and pikarikku for their reviews of Chapter 4 (and Fallen Akaichou for her 1 and 2)! I appreciate them a lot. 8D

Valete!


	6. If Ghosts Were Real

Yoshiko' house was relatively close to Himuro Mansion. In fact, it was one of the closest houses to Himuro. From what Yoshiko had told Mikoto, her parents didn't believe in the curse of Himuro Mansion, and neither did she.

Mikoto had been having a good time so far – they had eaten an early lunch and then gone out to play in the backyard. While Yoshiko's house was significantly smaller than Himuro, it was a lot cozier – something Mikoto appreciated.

As Mikoto followed her friend to her bedroom, she heard what sounded like crying through one of the doors.

"Who is that?" she whispered.

"It's my grandmother," Yoshiko responded. "One of my cousins died a while back while she was still a baby, and poor Grandmother hasn't really gotten over it…"

Mikoto averted her eyes. "Oh…"

Yoshiko smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure she'll be fine – she's made of some tough stuff, you know?"

The girls smiled at each other and continued down the hallway.

* * *

Yae sat in the Koto Room, thinking. So many odd things had been happening lately; ingredients were switching cabinets, Ryozo had been losing diary entries, and there was a strange seal on the Doll Room door that no one had figured out how to remove. The door itself was shut tight, too. 

Was this place really haunted? Ryozo had listened to her worries, but she feared that he didn't care whether the house was haunted or not. The classic "Interesting vs. Dangerous" battle that Makabe-san had fought…She could remember him somewhat, and she knew that he had died in her village, although she didn't remember why or how.

She looked over at her camera. Mikoto really had found that interesting, hadn't she?

"Perhaps I'll take a few pictures…" she murmured.

* * *

The four friends sat in a circle around a makeshift campfire in the Yoshiko's backyard. It was really a few sticks and a candle, but none of them cared – it created the right mood. 

"My mom said that she's going to let me keep going to your house," Mitsuko said. "She says she thinks I'll be okay."

"Your mom is so _paranoid_," Katsu commented. "I couldn't stand to have someone restricting me like that." He picked up a twig and snapped it in half.

"Yeah, it's pretty annoying," Mitsuko admitted. "Although I was kind of nervous, too. I mean, it's just so inbred in us that there's something wrong with that house…"

"I just don't get why ghosts are supposed to be so dangerous, anyway," Yoshiko added. "I mean, why would a ghost attack a person? It doesn't make any sense!"

"I think that if ghosts were real, they'd be kind of like guardian angels," Katsu said. "You know, keep us from going into a dangerous situation or help us get out of one."

Mikoto looked at the candle. "I think that they'd just go on like they did when they were alive," she said. "Like, if a man's daughter died, he would spend his time as a ghost trying to find her ghost."

Mitsuko looked at her. "That makes sense," she said. "Wow, can you imagine dieing and not even realizing it?"

"How could that happen?" Yoshiko asked. "I think I'd notice if I drowned or got my head cut off or something"

"Well, you know…maybe if you died in your sleep, you'd never know."

Katsu leaned back. "That makes sense, I guess. But, then again, I don't think ghosts are real anyway."

The group lapsed into silence for a few seconds, and then began talking about other things.

And, just once, Mikoto found herself looking at Katsu. And, just once, wondering what it might be like to kiss him.

* * *

Ryozo found himself wandering the house yet again, looking for a clue. He had finally unlocked the "Demon Mouth", a large, orange-tinged room with a set of double doors that were locked. According to his research, a "Blinding Mask" was required to gain entry. He had seen an illustration of it in one of the tomes, and had a pretty good idea of its grotesque purpose… 

So far he had found nothing. He needed another key – like the Angry Mask to unlock the spinning door in the foyer. That would be nice…

* * *

_Yae stood in the front hallway of the manor. That woman – the one in the bloodied kimono – had walked through here. Yae hesitated for a second, and then began walking after her._

_She eventually found herself in a stairwell. She began to ascend the stairs…_

_"No!"_

_She froze. Who had said that?_

_There was a muffled thumping sound as someone ran on the floor above. Yae began to back down the stairs, preparing to run away._

_An elderly woman appeared at the top of the stairs, a look of complete frenzy in her eyes. She began to run down them, but tripped and fell. Yae slammed her eyelids shut, hoping that what she knew would happen might not._

_When she opened them again, the woman was lying in a heap on the floor…and another woman was at the top. _

_A woman covered in tattoos._

_Yae screamed and began to run.

* * *

_

Yae didn't get anymore sleep that night.

* * *

So? You liked it, right? 8P 

I don't know when my next update will be. I'm taking Driver's Ed (sob), so it may be a while…but I'll try to get something over the weekend, at least.

Valete!


	7. Take Your Shattered Memories

The next morning was a dismal one. Ryozo was off in his own little world – he had found the Angry Mask shortly before Mikoto's return, and was thinking about what might be on the other side. Yae, meanwhile, was lying on the floor, occasionally pushing herself up to check on breakfast.

Mikoto watched her parents with concern. _Mommy's getting sick again_, she thought. _I wonder if there's something I can do to help._

"Mommy…"

"What?" Yae asked distantly.

"Do you want me to help with anything?"

Yae looked at her daughter. "Not really," she answered. I don't have anything planned for today." She lowered herself back to the ground.

Mikoto turned to her father. "Oh, by the way, I found one of your diary entries in the storeroom."

Ryozo looked at her in astonishment. "Why would it be there?" he mused. "Everything seems to get misplaced around here…"

"I think…" Mikoto began, but then she stopped herself. Was it really a good idea to tell them about the man who had been coming to her at night? She looked back to her dad, only to see that he had completely lost interest in what she had to say.

"…I'm going to take a walk," Mikoto said as she stood up and left. "I think I might take a few pictures today."

"…I left the camera next to my koto…" Yae mumbled. "Just make sure that you don't use all the film, okay?"

"I won't," she responded. She then turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Mikoto!"

Mikoto looked up from the camera. She had been about to take a picture of a bird, but it flew away at the newcomer's approach.

It was Mitsuko. The girls smiled at each other as Mitsuko ran towards her friend.

"What are you doing here?" Mikoto asked.

"I came to ask you about something. Do you think it would be okay if Yoshiko, Katsu and I came here tomorrow?"

Mikoto cocked her head. She should probably go ask her parents…but, then again, they would definitely say yes. Especially in the state they were in right now.

"Sure," she responded.

* * *

Ryozo wandered the Hidden Pass. It had taken him so long to get here, and now he had to dig through even _more_ puzzles! Though he showed outward anger, he was really quite pleased. This mansion…he could live here forever, solving its puzzles!

He approached the door with the odd mask hanging on it. For some reason, this one would not come off of the door…but the door would not open, either. He suspected that the pillar in the other room might unlock this door, but he couldn't have this door both unlocked and accessible…

He clutched his forehead. "This is impossible!" he moaned.

He heard a chiming noise. When he looked to investigate, he saw a young girl pointing toward the Sad Door.

"…Who are you?" he asked after a brief pause.

"This way…" she said.

Then she disappeared.

He turned the corner and walked through the Sad Door. The girl stood before him yet again, now pointing toward the Square Garden.

In this manner he followed the little girl, until he finally found what she wanted him to find.

A golden carving sitting in front of a gravestone.

* * *

Come on! Come on!

_Yae looked up. She was standing in a large, monochrome courtyard. Or was it her vision that was awry? The woman in the bloody kimono stood before her._

You'd better hurry, Yae. I might leave you behind.

_"Who are you?" Yae called. The woman gave her a malicious grin._

It's your fault, Yae.

_Yae stared at the girl, the girl she knew was from her village, the girl that could unlock her memory. If she could just talk to her, get her to understand that she didn't remember anything…_

It's your fault for surviving.

_The girl turned and walked through the doors behind her. And, after a moment's hesitation, Yae began to follow._

_Beyond the doors was what appeared to be a shrine. The woman stood in the center, holding something out to Yae._

Take them, Yae.

_"What is this?"_

Take your shattered memories.

_Yae reached out her hand…_

_And remembered.

* * *

_

When Yae woke up, she was in the Koto Room. She didn't remember coming in there, didn't even remember falling asleep.

What she remembered was All God's Village.

"It's my fault…" she whispered.

She began to cry.

* * *

Ryozo stepped through the door – the locked door with the odd mask that had given him so much trouble. And now, thanks to the friendly little ghost, he was inside.

He walked inside and looked around. It was very ornate and, oddly enough, clean. This must have been where they performed the Blinding Ritual he had read so much about…

And, speaking of Blinding…

"It's the mask," he gasped.

There it sat before him – a plank of wood with two stakes shoved through it. Ryozo approached it reverently. This was the key, the key to the Demon Mouth's doors.

"Tomorrow…tomorrow I will go inside."

* * *

Mikoto lay in a ball on the floor. Even now, she couldn't sleep – she was too worried about her parents. Mommy's eyes had been puffy, which either meant she had been crying or she was sick, and Daddy had been drooling over that "mask" he had found. She sighed. As much as she liked it here, she was starting to wish they had never moved.

She stood up and went through the small door to the Stairway, and from there, made her way to the locked door.

"I wish I could get inside…" she whispered.

* * *

Another chapter down, and the story's drawing to a close. Sigh…oh, well.

Valete!


	8. Demon Tag

The four children stood in the Koto Room, talking. At first they had continued their discussion of ghosts, but Yoshiko started crying a few minutes into it. She told them that her grandmother had vanished during the night, leaving only a black mark across her bed. The conversation grew stale, until…

"Um…do you guys want to play something? I bet this house would be great for Demon Tag…" Mikoto asked.

Yoshiko looked up. "That sounds fun," she said quietly.

"Fine with me," Katsu said, shrugging. "Bet you'll have trouble catching me, though!"

"I already have a spot picked," Mitsuko said, "but I can be the demon first if you want."

Mikoto pursed her lips. "I'll be it," she offered, "since I know the mansion best. Okay?"

"Right!" Katsu acknowledged as he tore out of the room.

"Uh…go?" Mikoto grinned. The other two girls laughed and fled.

* * *

Ryozo sat in the study, poring through various texts he had acquired in the mansion. He had decided to spend that morning looking over the older texts, to ensure that he had not missed anything important.

As he sat in his alcove, he heard what sounded like…humming? He looked up from his book. It was coming from somewhere in the room…

He stood up and walked into the study proper. Yae lay on the floor, her arms and legs thrown out as though she were making a snow angel.

"-from her dream….perform the Rite of Stakes…her limbs…pinned tight…"

Ryozo's eyes widened. What was this?

"Lest the doors…open wide…and suffering unleashed…"

He knelt down beside his wife, trying to hear what she was saying.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

He reached over and shook her. When she didn't wake up, he called to her.

Nothing.

* * *

Mitsuko slowly made her way across the Fish Tank Room, and ran through the door to the Backyard. She knew that Mikoto wouldn't come back here first, which naturally made it a good place to go. She grinned. It would be a while before _she_ got caught!

She looked around. Even though the backyard was a good escape, she still needed to be _hidden_. And…there! The perfect place! She could hide behind the well. She giggled and ran towards it and

"My daughter…"

She froze. "Wha…?"

"Give back…"

She spun around, looking for whoever was talking to her. "Katsu?" she called out, hoping that this was a game – even though she knew it wasn't.

"Give…BACK!"

She shrieked as something grabbed her leg. She felt herself falling, felt a splash of water, and, finally, felt herself leaving her body.

* * *

_Yae stood in the Rope Altar. She remembered everything now – the death of Seijiro Makabe, the failed escape – and some other things, as well. She knew now…she knew how Itsuki Tachibana died, she knew that the Ritual had failed, that All God's Village lived on as a specter of itself._

_She raised her head and looked at the double doors on the other side. _

_"Sae…"_

_She walked over to them and threw them open._

_"I'm sorry…I left you behind…all alone…"_

_She heard something coming from down the hall. Sae was down there – she was sure if it._

_"I'll go there…with you…"_

_She stepped through the door.

* * *

_

Yoshiko ran into the Doll Room through the revolving door. She had tried to go in through the _normal_ door, but it was stuck fast for some bizarre reason. As she entered, she looked around for a good hiding spot.

"Where to hide, where to hide?" she wondered. Mikoto would never look in here, since the door was locked, but it still would be nice to have a hiding spot…

"Oh! That's perfect!" she exclaimed. There was a small closet she could just barely fit under – Mikoto wouldn't ever look there!

She crawled inside and closed the door. _It's a little cramped,_ she thought to herself. _Well, it's not like she's coming in here anyway…I guess I can wait outside until I hear her coming._

She reached for the door and tried to open it.

It was stuck.

She shook it several times. No budge. "Relax…" she muttered to herself. "Mikoto probably just fixed it or something…" She tried to ignore what an unrealistic idea that was.

"My daughter…"

She gasped and looked behind her. All that was there was dust.

And then a man's head.

She let out as scream as he reached his arm out to her.

* * *

Ryozo was beginning to panic. He had done several studies of sleep, but he had no idea what kind of sleep this was – he certainly hadn't heard a reference to sleeping priestesses before, much less lucid dreams about your supernatural home village. He paced back and forth. He didn't know how to handle this…

He finally fell to his knees and grabbed his head.

"Yae…please, wake up!" he called to her.

* * *

Katsu ran into the sunken fireplace room and looked around. This room had all sorts of hiding spots – there was under the stairs, or behind the partition, or…

"Forget those!" he exclaimed as he saw the best spot in the room. The Grandfather clock would do nicely…He grinned and opened the door. The pendulum would prove to be annoying, but it would also make him hard to see…

He sat there for five minutes. At one point he heard a voice coming from the study, but he wasn't sure if it was Munakata-san or Mikoto. He smiled as his thoughts came to rest on the young girl – he had wondered if she liked him. Perhaps, later today…

"Give back…"

He frowned. "Huh?" he asked. "Munakata-san?"

"Give back!"

His eyes flew open as hands enveloped his neck. He kicked the door open and tried to run out…

But the arms pulled him back in.

* * *

_Yae walked through the caverns under the village. After what she estimated to be ten minutes, she reached a large room with candles spread throughout it._

_Sae stood under the Shinto gate on the other side. She was walking down the stairs…_

Yae…please, wake up!

_She clutched her head as the world around her fluttered. For a second she was suspended in nothingness, and then the cavern returned._

Yae, come here…hurry!

_She stood still for a moment and then continued forward.

* * *

_

Mikoto looked up from the floor. "That should be enough time," she commented to herself. "I hope the found some good places!" She started walking towards the door…but then she noticed.

The closet door was open. That door hadn't been open in the entire time they had lived in the mansion.

"Somebody must have gone this way…" she muttered. She started toward the door, wondering where it might lead. As an afterthought, she picked up her mother's camera – after all, there might be some cool stuff to get a shot of.

She walked forward until she reached a series of beams suspended over a room she didn't recognize. At first she was nervous, but then she remembered Katsu running across the Fish Tank Room. It really wasn't that big a deal…

She began to walk across the boards. After a few steps, she actually began to enjoy it, reveling in the adrenaline coursing through her. She halfway to the door on the other side and took a picture of the room from her perspective.

"I hope Mommy doesn't flip out when she hears about this…" she mumbled to herself.

"My daughter…"

She took a sharp breath. That man…he was here! She turned to the statue behind her and looked…

He was there.

She yelped. His eyes – they looked so murderous. So empty…She ran across the beams to the small door on the other side, but it was locked. She turned to face him, praying that she didn't fall off the beam, praying that her idea worked…

As the man reached for her arm, she raised the camera and took a shot. He let out an agonized scream, and then he was shrinking. Shrinking into a little blue ball.

The camera fell out of Mikoto's hands and onto the floor a story below. Her eyes teared, her vision blurred as she felt the rush of feeling that the man had felt upon his death.

She shoved the door open, not even realizing that it wouldn't have opened five seconds earlier. She ran into the next room, not noticing her surrounding, only knowing that she was _dead_, the girl was _dead_, his child

(Katsu)

(Yoshiko)

(Mitsuko)

Was _dead_.

"Mom…"

She fainted.

* * *

_Yae entered the final cavern. Sae stood before her, in her bloodstained kimono, looking at her with an empty gaze._

You finally came.

_"Yes…I finally came…" Yae's jaw began to tremble. "I've come to be with you…"_

_The sisters stared at each other. Yae slowly began to walk forward, the feeling of unreality falling away. Now…now she could be with Sae again. She could regain what she had given up…_

_The cavern filled with a bright light. Sae let out a scream and fell over. And then Yae saw…

* * *

_

Yae's eyes flew open.

"MIKOTO!"

* * *

Well...It's been a while, hasn't it? Stupid Driver's Ed. _BUT,_ only one week left, and then I can update more frequently!

Unfortunately, this story's almost up. Two chapters left...(sniff)

Read! Review! Please. I'll try to update soon - but, again, it'll probably be next weekend...

Valete!


	9. Hanging From The Tree

- Ryozo Munakata's Journal

They're all gone. Mitsuko, Yoshiko, Katsu…and Mikoto. They're gone. I don't know where they could have vanished off to, and they won't return to us when we call to them. The only trace left of Mikoto is the camera. We found it in the room with the Buddha statues. She must have been in there before she disappeared…

Yae is falling into a depression. I can't say I blame her. She says it's her fault that Mikoto's gone. She says she never should have given her the camera.

Yae's in a coma. She fell asleep yesterday afternoon, and she hasn't woken up since. I don't know what to do…

* * *

_Yae stood in the courtyard before the shrine. She had fallen asleep again, she had gone through the Manor again, and now she was here. Sae between her and the shrine doors, staring at her._

_Yae began to walk forward. Sae's form disappeared into the air as Yae ascended the small stairway. She opened the doors and went inside…_

_Everything turned white. When her vision cleared, she found herself standing in a large cavern. Sae stood on the other end walking toward an old building. And, holding the woman's hand, was Mikoto._

_"No…wait!" Yae called. She ran after them, reaching her arm out to them. "Don't leave me! I don't want to be alone!"_

_She charged after the disappearing figures. As she reached the stairs leading into the shrine, she woke up.

* * *

_

Her eyes opened slowly. She looked inside herself for the energy to stand up. As she rose, she began to plan out what she was going to do next.

"Mikoto…I'm coming…"

* * *

The first thing Ryozo noticed when he entered the study was that his wife was gone. "She's finally awake!" he exclaimed. He ran through the room and threw open the observatory doors to check the Cherry Atrium.

At first he didn't understand; when had Yae learned how to float? He looked at her for a second, trying to comprehend what had happened. Her body, hanging from the tree. The rope around her neck. It didn't mean…

Ryozo stared at her hanging body for a second, then turned and went back inside.

"Yae…" he whispered into the room.

* * *

The burial was short. He took her body from the tree and carried it to the backyard. There, he placed her on the ground near a small shed and dug a grave for her.

When he returned to the Cherry Atrium, he found the camera. It was lying at the base of the small stairway that led to the Moon Shrine, facing the Doll Room. He picked it up and carried it to the door that Mikoto had so desperately wanted to go through, not really knowing why.

If he had taken the time to look, he would have seen a little girl pointing the way.

* * *

His body was running by itself. He had no idea what he was doing, no consciousness. Put simply, Ryozo Munakata was dead even as he entered the Demon Mouth.

He climbed down the ladders to the bottom of the large room. He walked through a circle of stones, not even noticing the woman groping through the air behind him. He stood before the door and placed the Blinding Mask in its place.

The doors began to swing open. He stared ahead, waiting to meet what lied behind them.

He felt the evil coming at him. He felt the Malice surround him, tearing at his mind like a jackal. And then he saw the Shrine Maiden.

"Kirie," he breathed.

She stood in front of him, staring down at him.

_I'll make you feel my pain._

The evil covered him, and he collapsed.


	10. Final Night: Guardian Angel

Mikoto pushed herself up off the ground. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but the sun wasn't out anymore. She was a little hungry, and she didn't really know where she was. She looked around at the room. It was a fairly large room, but the majority of it was a cell with a small window. She looked through the bars, wondering who could have lived in there. A mirror stood on the wall behind her with an ornate design on it; perhaps it had been used by whoever had lived in the cell.

She turned to face the door she had not come through. As she began walking toward it, the world went black and white.

"What?..." she whispered. She looked back behind her, and she saw the mirror in the wall begin to glow.

A woman came out of it.

Mikoto shrieked and fled from the room. She accidentally kicked an object and saw it bounce down the stairs in front of her. When she reached the base, she saw it was her mother's camera.

"Get away from me!" she yelled as she grabbed the camera and took a photo of the woman.

It had no effect.

Mikoto stood for a second, and then ran through the room. She tore down the next set of stairs, out the door, and into the Cherry Atrium. As she reached the small window, the world began to regain color; a quick glance behind her confirmed that the woman was no longer chasing her.

She fell over and began to pant for breath. "What…was that?" she gasped. "What's…happening…to me?"

She stood back up and looked into the Cherry Atrium. And there, hovering before the Moon Shrine, was…

"Mom!" Mikoto yelled.

Yae's ghost hovered before the girl. Every few seconds she would float a little closer to her daughter, but then she would pause. Mikoto stared at her mother for a few seconds, and then turned and ran once again.

She ran through the Cherry Atrium to the Burial Room. Through the Great Hall to the Rope Hallway. She turned the corner, praying that she could just get out, that she could escape, that she could forget this horrible place.

Her father was on the other side of the hallway. She let out a shriek and ran into the room with the sunken fireplace.

Ghosts were everywhere. There was a woman wearing a blindfold, and a woman with long hair. There was a man with his ribs showing, and a man wearing a demon mask. Amidst them all was another little girl pointing at the grandfather clock.

She ran to the stairs, clinging onto the tiny hope that maybe she could still escape. She tore up them and ran over to the Study door.

It was locked.

Mikoto spun around and stared at the horde of ghosts coming toward her. She stared at them defiantly, grabbing her camera tightly, hoping against hope that she would not have to fight them.

And then a voice called to her.

"Over here!"

She looked at the source of the call. It was…

"Katsu?"

The boy ran to her from the stairs she had just ascended. She stared at him and let out a small gasp; the man, the long-armed man, he had killed her best friend, he had –

She breathed out as he threw his arms around her.

* * *

When Mikoto Munakata woke up, she was laying outside of Himuro Mansion. She looked around her, but no one was there. No ghosts. No evil. 

Just her.

* * *

- Mikoto Hinasaki's Diary 

I don't understand. Why did Katsu save me? Mommy and Daddy were going to kill me. But Katsu saved me. He let me out…I don't get it. He said that ghosts were like guardian angels. Maybe…maybe he's right.

Hinasaki-san came to visit me today. He said that he's going to be taking care of me now. He seemed really sad about Daddy's death. I won't tell him what happened, though. I don't want him to be sad, too.

I had a dream last night with Mommy and Daddy in it. They were standing in front of a really big mansion, and then they went inside. I wanted to go after them, but I decided not to. I just…I feel like I still belong here, with the living.

I can't remember much about the mansion anymore. I have a few hazy images of some of the rooms, but nothing in particular. I can barely even remember what Mommy looked like. The only really strong memory I have is of Katsu sitting on the other side of the little campfire we made.

I feel so sad…but at the same time, I think that one day I'll feel better. I have to stay strong, for Mommy and Daddy. And Katsu, too.

I'll go on living…even with the pain.

* * *

And that's the end of the story. Well, that's not quite true – Mikoto had a granddaughter named Miku, who went back to Himuro Mansion and saved the ghosts. But you know that. :P 

I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks to pikarikku, Fallen Akaichou, SyberiaWinx, uniquewriter, and ExDemon for their reviews – I really appreciate them.

Well, I'm off.

Valete!


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